Jeffries explodes for career high

With 6 minutes, 41 seconds remaining in IU's home opener against Notre Dame Tuesday, Jared Jeffries picked up his fourth foul. \nIU led by five, and it appeared Jeffries would retreat to the Hoosier bench. \nHe didn't. He knew he wouldn't. And it's a good thing. \nJeffries' career-high 28 points, including five during a two-minute stretch, helped IU (5-2) fend off the Fighting Irish (7-1) for a 76-75 victory that jump-started the hearts of an Assembly Hall sellout crowd of 17,456.\n"I knew coach wasn't going to take me out," Jeffries said. "I know he has confidence in me and how smart I am out on the court."\nJeffries was just that, with IU holding a 63-58 edge. \nNotre Dame had just drawn within three points -- the closest the Irish had been since trailing 6-4 in the first half -- when Jeffries, who scored 15 first-half points including three three-pointers -- went to work. \nThe 6-foot-9 sophomore hit one of two free throws after an offensive rebound, scored a field goal the next time down the floor and finished his binge with a 15-foot jumper that pushed IU's lead to 68-60 with just more than five minutes remaining. \nFrom there until just 2.1 seconds remained in the game, Jeffries let his counterparts do the scoring. But with IU leading 76-75 with 2.1 ticks on the clocks and IU inbounding under the Irish bucket, Jeffries nearly spoiled his career night. \nHe tried to thread the needle to freshman teammate Donald Perry on a full-court outlet pass. But the ball slipped. Perry and Notre Dame freshman Chris Thomas battled for the ball and Thomas was called for the foul. \nPerry missed the free throw, but IU escaped. \n"I was trying to be (Atlanta Falcons quarterback) Michael Vick," Jeffries joked. "It slipped. But it was an incomplete pass."\nNotre Dame coach Mike Brey said he wanted to force Jeffries to throw the long pass and almost got just what he wanted. \n"It was like a wide receiver and a defensive back on a bump-and-run play," Brey said. "You have to force them to make that play. They made it."\nOther than the near blunder, the rest of Jeffries' night went as planned -- and better than the rest of the season for the All-America candidate. Jeffries entered Tuesday's game averaging 14.2 points and shooting just 39 percent from the floor. But the former Mr. Basketball drained the luck from the Irish by hitting 10 of 18 shots including three of four three-pointers. Jeffries also grabbed six rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end. \n"Jared Jeffries had his best game of the season," coach Mike Davis said. \nJeffries scored 10 of IU's first 21 points before going relatively quiet for the remainder of the first half. Jeffries, who battled the dominant Irish inside attack on the defensive end all night, scored six of IU's first 10 second-half points before picking up his third and fourth fouls. \nThe game-long eruption from Jeffries allowed guards Tom Coverdale, Dane Fife and Kyle Hornsby to stretch the Irish defense and help shoulder the scoring load. \n"If we can get that production from him, it's going to open up our production from the outside," said Coverdale, a junior who was the only other Hoosier in double figures with 11 points. "We're just that much better when he plays like that."\nJeffries, who battled and jawed with Thomas, a fellow Mr. Basketball and brother to Jeffries' girlfriend, eclipsed his previous career high, a 26-point effort against Michigan last February. The three three-pointers were his second-highest career total, and Jeffries is now 11 of 20 from three-point range on the season. IU is 3-0 when Jeffries scores 20-plus points. \nJeffries credited his scoring to a new offensive approach and his effort to tweak his game and pick up the scoring production. \nThat given, the decision to keep Jeffries in the game was a no-brainer for Davis. \n"We needed him offensively," Davis said. "He was the only guy scoring for us. Sometimes, you just have to roll the dice."\nWhatever Davis rolled, it worked.